


It's annoying, really

by AssHolHorse



Category: One Piece
Genre: Contemporary AU, Hanahaki Disease, Idiots in Love, Illnesses, Just a quick beta, Killer mvp, M/M, Miscommunication, Modern AU, Neighbours, clown to clown communication
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2020-10-06
Packaged: 2021-03-07 23:54:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26866246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AssHolHorse/pseuds/AssHolHorse
Summary: Mythic diseases such as that one should remain smothered in the pages of old tomes, not in Law's body as he pines for the man next door.
Relationships: Eustass Kid/Trafalgar D. Water Law
Comments: 8
Kudos: 50





	1. Plant

**Author's Note:**

> I'm back on my bullshit and if this is OOC blame it on life.  
> If you expect anything else other than confession fics from me, I have news: You have shit luck.

Law cursed under his breath. He was fucked. He was so utterly fucked he almost wanted to cry. Out of all people, it had to be that asshole. It was ridiculous to astronomical levels. He flushed the toilet, the water washing away the petals and the blood that had made way out of his lungs and mouth.

Really, Law'd rather have any other explanation, but none of the ones he came up with made sense other than the hanahaki disease.

One of his teachers commented it offhandedly one of those days when he didn't feel like teaching, and for Law it had sounded like pure bullshit, one anecdotic case from someone who was probably ill with something else. He thought there was no evidence whatsoever.

How he wished there was no evidence now.

The plant left a bitter aftertaste he tried to rinse with mouthwash, the powerful minty flavour numbing his tastebuds. He examined himself on the mirror after spitting, everything else on him was alright, unfortunately. He wished he could deal with the surgery himself because it was pure bullshit and he didn't have the guts to go and ask his colleagues for help, they wouldn't take him seriously. He would have to look half dead, at the very least, for them to consider it a legit concern.

Law went to the living room and let himself flop on the sofa like a ragdoll. He really wished it was anyone but him. His neighbour, the one at fault, had moved in last year, and apparently he had done it in a rush because the idiot was always bothering him with this or that basic thing he should have laying around home but that he didn't but he needed. The surgeon had to admit he was a handyman alright when he offered to give a look at Law's laptop after he had heard him curse up to the heavens when it didn't turn on. Then he discovered he was a mechanic and liked with tinker with technology in his free time. That also explained the prosthetic arm, way too raw-looking but definitely more precise than most he had seen. Of course, Law didn't praise him for it, lest he inflated the man's ego even more.

Law hated to admit he had grown fond of their banter over petty stuff, specially when he had spent a whole week with little more company than the workers in the hospital, and the occasional call from Corazón. It was like the other man had a radar to find him.

"You look like shit" was the first thing that came out of Kid's mouth when he had seen it that afternoon.

"Nice to see you too Eustass" he retorted.

"You should quit your job and work in a haunted house, put it for some use" he replied, a satisfied smile on his painted lips. He pressed the button on the elevator and the doors closed, trapping them in the small space.

"Then you should come with me to make an impersonation on Chucky" Law replied, resting against the mirror. The air was clogged with the smell of motor oil and sweat, warm by the furnace that was Eustass Kid, but Law couldn't say he hated it. That's when he started to feel the itch in his throat that had been bothering him for weeks, but much more intense.

"I'd do better as Jason," he commented, getting closer to Law and rejoicing on being taller. "A doll can't convey that I can snap a twig like you in half with one hand." It was a cocky threat, but mostly empty, he had never attempted to hurt him, despite having the muscle to do that and worse.

Law cleared his throat to soothe the incoming cough he was trying to hide. "I guess a mask covering your face is an upgrade." He smirked, because he knew Kid found it infuriating, but the taller man kept looming over him.

The doors of the elevator opened and he scurried out before the other could muster a reply, and Law practically threw himself into his apartment, thus his current situation.

It was a pain in the ass.

Of all the people, he had to fall for the edgy asshole with the ego the size of a stadium, such was his shit luck. He rubbed a hand over the sore throat as he mused. He had seen this or that other person coming out of his apartment in the weekend, looking well-fucked and happy with their night's outcome. That Kid was into dudes too didn't do a thing to soothe his mind into convincing him he had a chance, though. They got along in an enemy kind of way and the other man hadn't been shy on commenting _how fucking bony he found him._ Not that it bothered Law, he was more than happy with his appearance and it had granted him an easy flow of conquests on his college years. However, it made clear that Eustass was totally _not_ into him.

It was fine. He was fine with crushes, they would pass.

Not the disease, though.

He would wait until it happened again, until he could confirm that indeed he was coughing actual flowers and that it hadn't been a play of his eyes, because it was ridiculous. If the evidence materialized in front of him again, he swore to himself he would seek help, just not from people from his workplace. It had been hard enough to get the recognition from his eldest colleagues and he'd rather choke than have them look down on him claiming he was a fool for believing in hanahaki.

He decided to ease his mind calling Corazón.

Two hours of conversation later, and after making and eating dinner, his doorbell rang. It was half past ten and he wasn't expecting anyone, so he opened the door with caution only to see Kid's door slamming shut, some snickers escaping behind the wood. Was Kid resorting to childish pranks now? But the ruckus that came along with the man's friends seeped through the walls in no time. Law braced for the evening, thanking his luck he had that weekend free.

He settled for a movie that was little more than background noise as he texted his friends. Today's entertainment revolved around teasing Penguin and his big fat crush on some blonde he had met in the way to work. Law hoped from the bottom of his heart his friend had better luck with his love life than he did. Loud music blared through the floor and the laughs broke though the droning of voices like waves. He could go and tell them to keep it quiet, but his body wasn't feeling inclined to have another wave of coughs and nausea, and the men on the other side of the wall were quite more than intimidating and getting absolutely shit-faced. Law was a smart man and that meant he knew better than to get in a fight with a group of drunk men that outnumbered and outweighed him.

Two seconds lost in his thoughts and the next thing he knew was that they had started organizing a meeting, Ikkaku as the brain of the plan, and half of them were pestering him insisting he provided a date where he would _for sure, for real, and signed with blood,_ not work. Guilt crept at the back of his mind for neglecting his friends like that but his shifts ate all his time and energy up, and by the end of the day all he wanted to do was to take a shower and drop dead on the bed.

The credits rolled on screen and Law couldn't tell for the life of him what the movie was about as he tried to placate the waves of messages directed his way to the best of his hablities. He decided to call it a day and turned off the TV, ready to pray for sleep to overcome him. Just then, his door shook under heavy, hurried knocks. He could simply not answer it and let whatever problem there was outside for the night.

"Trafalgar!" boomed a familiar voice on the other side.

“Or not” Told himself. He wasn't a weak man, but he might as well be in that moment as he opened the door (like a fool) and found Kid side by side with a blue-haired man of sunken eyes bleeding through his right hand. He sighed.

Tending to such a shallow wound wouldn't have taken more than five minutes if the other two of Kid's friends and the man himself hadn't decided to invite themselves in. "Just try not to move it around much" Law said as he bandaged the hand to keep the gauze in place.

The man with sunken eyes nodded solemnly and added "I told them I could just burn it closed" Law winced. Seeing the poorly healed scar of a Cheshire smile, he guessed he had used that trick more than once. "But Killer freaked out."

"No I didn't" Killer interjected as he inspected the bookcase on Law's living room. “ _So that’s_ _Killer”_ Law repeated mentally, not pleased by this revelation. He had no interest in discovering if that was his real name or a nickname he got after something he had done.

Kid was sitting on the couch, arms crossed, looking nowhere in particular with a frown that suggested the furniture had insulted him personally. "I just don't want the house burning down _again_ because you tried to do your trick while smashed." His tone, calm and mature, hid an accusation underneath that invited Law to get them out of his house before they started anything. "Say, Law" the blonde man commented casually on his way to the door. Kid tensed. "Got anything to do now? Are you waiting for someone?"

"Killer" Kid called, seething, his face redder by the second.

Law resisted the urge to take the bait.

"Don't look at me like that, I'm just saying-"

"Killer." The strain in his voice seeped through gritted teeth.

"Because he has been so nice as to patch Heat up, why don't we invite him to some beers in your house." His eyes were covered by shabby blonde bangs that reached almost to the tip of his nose, but in between the strands Law thought he saw a glint of mischief shining on his eyes.

Law placed the antiseptic and the unused bandages back into the first aid kit. "My plan for the night is passing out on bed" he commented, trying to sound as casual as one could while talking to a man named Killer. Kid's shoulders relaxed, catching the polite yet dismissive tone in his voice that implied _get out and don't make noise, assholes_. The rest, though, got a different message.

"Great! Then let's move back" the blonde declared, and Law swore he saw a vein pop on Kid's forehead. The redhead had no time to stop them as the group pushed him and Law out of his own house despite his protests.

The thing is, they were less awful than he imagined. They had no concept of conversational volume and spoke shy on screaming. On top of that in between asking the goriest details he could recall of the cases he had seen over time, they'd try to nose into his private life, apparently intrigued for Law's love life.

"You have had to fuck with one of the nurses or something dude, I don't believe you" Heat insisted.

"It'd be too troublesome if they got attached, we work together everyday" he replied.

"Man that's cold, but there has to be someone" and Heat jabbed him on the shoulder, almost making him spill the beer can he had barely drunk from.

"Stop it!" Kid barked unusually irritated, and the others laughed like he had made a joke, but he assumed they were already a few strong drinks in, if the spirits on the table were anything to go by.

"Oh there is" Law muttered, eyeing Kid. The man's expression soured, his attention schooled into pouring himself a rum coke with a 90% rum proportion Law was certain tasted like shit. "But I'm not going tell you." He turned to Heat and the man was now diverted by something Wire was saying to his ear, voice slurred and stuttering.

Law took a bigger gulp of beer to down the unpleasant sensation at the back of his mouth as the riff of a guitar echoed through the speakers. The music was not something he'd listen to on a regular day, but it was better than whatever thing blasted on the afternoons every other day.

Killer came back from the kitchen, carelessly throwing snacks on top of the table as he sat between Law and a moody Kid. "Like it?" Law rose his face, eyebrows raised as if asking a silent question. " The music."

" 'S good I guess. Better than what Kid usually plays."

Kid's protests got muffled as the attention turned to Law, everyone nodding in excited agreement. "Hell yes we were great." Heat puffed his chest with pride.

"We?"

"Yeah, this is from our old band, the one singing is Kid, too."

He turned to the aforementioned for confirmation and all he got was an annoyed huff and the man getting two shades redder as he drank like there was no tomorrow. Looking corpse-pale did nothing to hide his Law hated he managed to find that cute.

"Bashful now, Kid?" Killer prodded in a whisper, leaning towards the man and receiving an undelicate palm to the face that managed to push him back into the sofa.

"Shut up Killer!"

"But it's pretty impressive, Eustass" Law admitted, taking another gulp and regretting immediately. Not only the alcohol didn't drown the pain, but also the little petals and leaves worked like a slide for the liquid to get into his lungs, and his sore throat burned like it was acid. He got up and excused himself, moving towards the corridor and hoping the next door he opened was the bathroom. It had to be, the flats were mapped like a mirror of each other.

The petals spilled out of his mouth with a cough, falling along splatters of spit and blood. He had to manually remove the ones stuck at the back of his tongue lest he risked puking, and then he remained there, arms helping him get some support against the wall as he bent over the toilet bowl. His legs, although shaky from the effort, remained stable enough that he hadn't had to bend, and he patted himself on the back for that little success. If he had fallen, the noise might have alerted someone. He could hear muffled mutters that barely registered under the pain and he contemplated how ridiculous it was to be throwing flowers up because of unrequited love in the house of his crush. That was the second time it happened, and he had promised himself to look for help. He pulled out his phone and texted Luffy for the number of that great doctor he always said he knew with little hope and even smaller will. He received an immediate response from the overexcited boy and soon he got a number, and then an invitation to join him and his group, an address attached to be opened with the GPS. Law decided to ignore that last invitation and rinsed his mouth. He flushed the toilet after looking for stray petals that might have dropped on the floor and left everything spotless. A perfect crime. By the time he got out of the bathroom, he found himself face to face with Kid, who was waiting resting against the wall opposite to the bathroom door.

"Finally."

"Sorry, my body didn't agree with that last beer."

"Didn't take you for a lightweight." He got a scoff as his only response.

Then Law noticed the silence. "Where's everyone?"

"Wire got a call for a bodyguard gig and we called it quits for today. Uh..." The redhead pushed a glass full of water his way and Law took it by reflex. Still a little stunned by the effort, he needed a few seconds to process what the hell was going on. He detested that Kid had been waiting for him to come out with a glass of water on his hand, that he was actually being nice and getting out of their usual pattern, that he was making his heart flutter a little and his stomach tie in knots like he was some school-aged sweetheart. "You ok?"

Law nodded. "I better go too. I had fun today. Thanks" he said awkwardly, painfully aware of the small distance between them in the narrow hallway.

"Thanks to you, for fixing Heat's hand." The imposing man scratched his head, eyes everywhere but on Law's. "I hope the guys didn't bother you too much." And if his voice sounded softer than normal, and lacking the usual bite, Law didn't point it out.

"They were alright."

Law finally commanded his legs to move, walking to the kitchen, downing the whole glass at once and leaving it on the sink. He moved towards the entrance and shooting a last glance towards Eustass, he unlocked the door. "See you around."


	2. Grow

He thanked whatever deity had urged him to pick his keys before being hauled out of his own home by the group of rowdy men because he was certain he wouldn't have been able to stand more than three minute out of his house without retching.

The petals were red and looked almost as if they were losing their dye by the way the blood camouflaged among them. He texted his superior praying that Kureha saw it early in the morning, telling her that he would have to reschedule the few surgeries that he had that day (and for once he thanked her persistence on spacing things a little more, "because a tired surgeon is as good as a butcher"). He got an immediate response and smirked because despite their differences, deep down they had the same work ethic and the same shitty sleeping schedule. Breathing through his nose, Law turned towards the petals again and was about to comment it to her, then decided against it. No reason in complicating things.

Next Monday he found himself in front of a very _very_ young someone.

Tony Tony Chopper was, to put it simply, a cute _kid._ With emphasis on that last word because he somehow had a medical license at the tender age of twenty. It soothed his mind that he was Kureha's protégé, but he still looked wet behind the ears.

"Mr Trafalgar" the kid said immediately, obviously puzzled. "What a surprise to see you here. How can I help you?"

Law sat on the chair on the other side of the table, dropping his weight onto the surface. "Doctor Chopper" he started, then placed both his hands atop of the table. "First of all and given we have a mutual acquaintance with Doctor Kureha, I'd ask you not to mention anything to her. Not even avoiding names."

The other, despite his baby face, wore a stern expression that rivalled that of a seasoned professional about to retire. "Of course. Nothing will come out of these four walls." Law wanted to believe those big round eyes were telling the truth despite everything and so he relaxed.

"Have you heard of hanahaki disease?"

And to his surprise, the other simply responded "Yes, I have seen it in person." For a moment, Law was overjoyed, because it made things much simpler.

"So you'd believe me if I tell you I am suffering from it." He ignored the pitying look he received for the sake of making things flow smoothly.

It was weird sitting on the opposite side of the table. Law was the kind to deal with his own illness by himself if he could avoid any unnecessary detours and waits. He was not one to sit and be cared for anymore. Still, he conceded, and let Chopper give him a full check-up, unintentionally evaluating his skills in the way. He wasn't disappointed.

"Mr Trafalgar" the young doctor called. "How long have you been nursing this unrequited crush?"

"Less than a year" he replied as nonchalantly as he was able to.

"That long?!"

"But it wasn't until recently that the whole coughing flowers out started." No big deal, he told himself, because he assumed he had time.

"That's not good" the other put it simply, like he was reading Law's mind. "The illness has had an insidious development in your lungs, I'm actually surprised you can breathe almost normally. That it is starting to show symptoms now doesn't make it less worrying" he clarified. Law assumed he'd get a response like that, it didn't make it less annoying. "May I know if you have tried confessing?" Chopper asked gingerly.

"No."

"Is there a reason why?"

"It won't work."

He knew the moment he said that he was up for a long talk about the importance of trying because that surgery was risky an not exempt of consequences, with long recovering times and that would leave sequels. Chopper explained every step to him with dedicated tact while insisting he confessed. Law decided that despite finding that drilling persistence annoying, the young doctor was to be trusted.

"... And that's why I'd still advise you to communicate with whoever is causing this unrequited crush" he sentenced. "In the worst case, you won't be corresponded and you can explain that you will get over it soon. On the best, you won't need to get on the operation table."

Law wouldn't say that he wasn't tempted because being a patient was truly a hassle, but hell if he'd get exposed to the humiliation of getting rejected, "by that brute no less" Law thought bitterly. He shook his head, there was no need to make things awkward between them, to ruin their perfectly casual relationship. He wasn't one to socialize but he enjoyed the little dynamics he managed to mantain.

He came back to himself when Chopper spoke again. "I can run the tests to get the results for surgery this Friday so that you can get to it on next week's Wednesday if everything's alright."

Law nodded only half-listening as he thought about the work that would pile up.

"That's just fine, thank you doctor."

The young one looked determined, but also happy for the acknowledgement.

He got home around two and thanks to his shit luck, he found himself trapped on the small space once again with the object of his unwanted affections, like the Universe wanted to spit on his eye for even daring to survive that long. Kid did look paler despite his skin tone being close to a sheet of paper, and he got dark rings under his eyes. He was unusually quiet as well, ignoring Law's teases. If that stung, Law dismissed the feeling for the sake of both of them.

He was unlocking his door when the other approached him, that annoying proximity he liked to keep. "I got a question for you." Law barely turned. Kid was _so close_ , and it was impossible not to get caught up in his presence. "Don't laugh, ok? Is it possible to cough flowers?"

Law's heart stopped.

He thought he'd drop dead on that moment. "If I only showed you right here right now", he thought, feeling the familiar itch on the back of his throat.

"My, Eustass" Law replied, the best impersonation of his sly voice coating his words like he wasn't choking. "Do you have your eye on someone?" He ought to change jobs and become a gravedigger, he decided, because he was getting in this hole himself.

The redhead shrugged and Law wanted to ignore with all his strength the faint tint that was on the other's face because Eustass Fucking Kid _blushed_ while frowning like a school brat stubbornly hiding his feelings and it stung like a bitch. On top of that, this time he was sober, and everything tasted like bile on Law's mouth. "Guess so. Then you know what this is."

"It's quite the rare disease" Law opened the door, but it wasn't enough to prompt the conversation to a stop.

"What's the cure?

"Confess, and you'll be fine." And Law knew he was being a little shit and a hypocrite, but he closed the door in Kid's face the second the first wave of coughs washed over him.

Really, wasn't it just great? Just _peachy_? Just sweet and fucking ironic that he had survived a lethal illness in his childhood out of sheer luck just to fall for the most slaphappy bullshit illness a medicine book could spit. Oh, how _romantic_ , because now that redhead idiot was going to die too and the dunce looked just so clueless of what was coming to him. Law was certain he wouldn't go get a proper check up until it was too late because he just knew Eustass Kid made an art out of being a pig-head. He felt the incoming headache as he put his fingers into his mouth to pull the petals, stems and leaves he could grasp because that made everything much easier.

Breathing hard, he didn't even bother looking at the slick, disgusting potpourri that had come out of him, flushing it instead. Revolting. He would have to help the fucking idiot to confess to his crush lest he was left to die because of a flowery lung.

* * *

As always, things were more easily thought than made, because Eustass Kid was not an easy man and had to complicate everything tenfold.

"And what do you fucking care?!"

"You came to me asking about this, and now that I help you, you _dare_ refuse my help?" Law tried to sound indignant, but he was just really tired. Of all of this. Being by Kid's side was as nice as walking barefoot on a floor full of tacks. When he wanted, he was abrasive, and childish and senseless, and Law tried to find those points as a reason to fall out of love but instead found the burly redhead charming in his own weird way. "So tell me, Eustass, who's your crush?" It hurt like a bitch to hell and back.

His chest was on fire, lungs threatening to melt out of his ribcage like lava, but he kept insisting. "None of your business" was all he got for the fourth time from Eustass' lips.

Law clicked his tongue. "Then I don't know why are we sitting in my living room, if you are just going to be a snappy little shit" he spat out of frustration, and to have a excuse to curse because his throat was raw and his spit tasted bitter when a petal managed to get crushed between his teeth.

"I can't just tell you!" Kid retorted like it made perfect sense.

"Then what are you going to do?!" Law crossed his arms and legs in one motion and laid back against the plush sofa. "You don't want to confess by yourself, you don't want a wingman! Are you planning on getting the surgery?"

"No way" he replied, a convinced nod making him look more mature than he would ever be.

"That's bullshit."

"Is it, smartass? What if one day out of nowhere I acted like I didn't know you and didn't give a shit about you? Would you like that?!"

And Law was about to reply "Yes! If that means you are alive!" but it was too close to a confession, so he huffed and looked somewhere else. "Dying for someone is ridiculous."

"Then call me ridiculous if you want. I want to keep what I have with that person, you don't get a saying!"

Law got up, arms up in the air. "Fine! Then go die somewhere else! Don't try to look for me when you squirm while you choke on shitty little petals!"

Law didn't have the time to process the flash of hurt that appeared on Kid's eyes because the redhead had begun coughing and wheezing like he was going to spit a lung. He got on his feet and pushed past Law towards the kitchen sink.

Bent forward, it was skin-crawling to watch him shiver and shake, body convulsing as whole calixes stained with lipstick and blood dropped over the surface, the flowers a pale yellow that made them look almost dead, on the verge of rotting. Kid held with a vice grip onto the counter and for once, Law found himself clueless on what to do. He took a step on the other's direction and Kid signalled for him to stop. "Stay there" he heaved between gags. His eyes were teary and red rimmed, trying to overpower the orange tint of his irises. Law hated the resigned look, regaining his breath and wiping his mouth and eyes like he had accepted his fate with open arms.

"How long have you been like this?"

"A year." He gingerly picked the calixes and stems and threw them in the trash, then flushed the remaining petals down the drain. Resting his lower back against the counter, facing Law, he laughed. A tiny little laugh, unlike the raucous laughter that made the whole floor shake by the sheer volume of it.

"And you have done nothing about it?! At all?!" Law grabbed fistfuls of Kid's shirt like it was a lifeline, managing to pull his impressive height down to eye level. He hated that it was like his fire had been snuffed out, two gems no longer polished and shielded by rows of red lashes focused solely on Law like he was the centre of the world. "You are out of your fucking mind. I'm going to kill you myself!"

Kid sighed. "Yeah you are." He rose up and held Law's wrists until the other released his clothes. Kid smoothed them down I. "Guess I'm hopeless after all. Still, thanks Doc. It's good you don't want me to die." He shrugged casually then went for the entrance door with heavy steps.

The sound of a heave stopped him on his tracks.

When he turned, all he saw was Law's serious mug, face scrunched up like he was holding himself from sneezing.

"See ya."Kid left.


	3. Bloom

It was Saturday and Law had tried his best to appear to be normal. The date for the surgery was just around the corner and that meant his suffering would end at last.

If only he could forget the whole ordeal with Kid at home.

His group of friends chattered happily in between sips and bites of their respective plates. His attention however wasn't on the very heated debate about which place served the best desserts, but on the blonde whose line of sight was transfixed on Penguin.

Now he understood the expression "small world", because Killer had been introduced to his group of friends half an hour ago as Penguin's _something_. Law wasn't going to judge his best friend's taste in men, because he wasn't in a situation where he could even do so, but he internally swore if he dared to hurt Penguin, the blonde would pay.

Somehow, the group was rejoiced Trafalgar and Killer knew each other. Some sort of filter, he supposed. If he got past Law, he could get past anyone. They didn't exchange more than a few words throughout the ordeal.

The evening closed with the group dispersing in different states of inebriation. Killer had offered to accompany Penguin home but the other had dismissed him with a shy smile, claiming he'd crash at Bepo's that night because it was nearby, and they had to keep an eye on Shachi, who was much worse for wear.

Law had waited, hands in the pockets of his hoodie, because he expected the blonde to go to Kid's, his suspicions confirmed as Killer silently walked past him, close enough to be a prompt to get moving.

The route wasn't long but felt eternal, both men pondering on their own whether or not to speak what was on their minds. Law kept his lips sealed on the matter that was closest to him. He chose something else instead.

"Was this on purpose?"

As if reading his mind, Killer shrugged. "Penguin just wanted me to meet his friends, but I did know he was yours because a day after we met he mentioned you, and I don't think there are many surgeons that go by the same name as you."

Law let a noncommittal hum out. "If you hurt him take yourself for dead."

"Should I say the same?"

Law staggered and the other stopped his steps as well. "What do you mean?"

"I might be wild, but I am by no means stupid."

Every muscle in Law's neck went rigid, a shiver screaming at him to run, because he had been found out. He hummed again. "And?"

"It's not like you to play dumb."

"Don't talk as if you know me" he bit back.

"I've had you around enough to have a hunch." It was spoken with such weariness Law couldn't contain a grimace of distaste.

"How perceptive of you" Law replied, a bite behind every word.

"I am not trying to pick a fight, just saying that you aren't discreet."

Trafalgar remained quiet, the concrete tiles on the street crunching under his sole as he dragged his feet back home.

"You must have noticed then, right?" Killer interjected, on his one-way conversation. "He's sick."

"Yeah, he says he has decided that is going to die."

Killer choked on his own spit. "He what?!"

"I told him there was surgery to fix his problem, but he said he'd rather die." Trafalgar shrugged, like he was speaking about the time, but he faced away from Killer as a sombre frown settled on his face. The blonde muttered something under his breath Law couldn’t catch on.

"And it's nothing to you?"

"Would rather have him alive but I can't knock him out and drag him to the operation table." Killer looked at him with the kind of frustrated expression that said "yes, of course you can" and extended his arms with a effusiveness Law didn't expect of the blonde. "I even tried to convince him to be a facilitator for him to confess" he admitted. "And he refused. At least I tried."

Killer rubbed the bridge of his nose, mussing the blonde strands that covered his eyes.

"Are you usually this stupid? Are you being dense on purpose?"

Law clicked his tongue and with an eye roll moved in front of Killer and stopped on his tracks. He coughed once, twice. Hiding the petals in his fisted hand trying not to sound as hoarse as his throat felt. "Enlighten me."

Killer grabbed him by the arm and pulled him towards Law's apartment building, rushed steps and too much mass on his body for Law to fight back such a bull of a man. He opened the door with a key Law supposed was Kid's backup and practically threw him into the elevator. The small space, other time tight but familiar had been filled with tension and muscle and some emotion oozing off Killer's body that Law couldn't pinpoint but that made the back of his neck sweat all the same. Somehow the anticipation to having to face Kid raked his chest, making him fold over and cough all the plant matter clogging his airways without a chance to stop.

"Shit" uttered Killer in both disgust and surprise as he moved as far from Law as possible in the secluded space. "You too?! Is this shit contagious?!" He questioned, as if the living evidence wasn't in front of his fucking face, spitting whole flowers from calix to stem, some roots attached and snapping inside of him as if meant to whip his insides. Law tried to catch his breath, still bent over as his legs felt like jelly. He wiped his eyes and the spit with his sleeve and tried to save face like that hadn't hurt like hell.

"None of your business, and no, it isn’t" Law replied, then turned to exit the elevator that had reached their floor three minutes ago and found himself in front of a fuming Eustass Kid.

He expected yelling, maybe some kind of reaction, but all he got was a dead serious face, pupils pointing towards Killer, and then him, and to the flowers. He leaned against his door frame, arms crossed. He looked like shit, too. Hair unruly in the way tossing and turning caused, ashy colour and shallow breaths that he couldn't hide completely.

"Kid."

"You too?" His voice was rough, almost aphonic. He broke an insincere smile on his lips. "You fucking hypocrite. And you were telling me what to do." He told law, then shot a piercing glare to Killer, and the other just stared back.

"I didn't tell him" he confirmed.

"Good" Kid nodded with stern determination. Then he turned around, peeking behind his shoulder as he got deeper into the house. "Just tell him yes, asshole. Don't let him die."

"You are taking it the wrong way."

"I got eyes, thank you."

"No, no." Killer strode forward, peeking through the open door where Law assumed Kid was, out of his sight. "He's not- He doesn't like me. I'm dating a friend of his. I was walking here with him to check on you."

The shatter of something pierced the space. Law moved as if on impulse. "That is true, Eustass. And you don't have to worry, I will get rid of this on Wednesday."

Another crash. Retching.

"You what?!" Killer yelled close to his ear. He shook Law's shoulders, hands clamping down and pressing the flesh without any sense of care. "Repeat that, shithead!"

Kid appeared by their side on an instant, forehead sweaty, pressing his palm against Killer's chest to keep him away from Law. "Cool down" he commanded.

"I'm not going to chill! This is fucking insane! Are you ok with him getting rid of you?!"

Law's teeth clicked as he shut his mouth at once. Killer glared a Kid, eyebrows pinched in worry and one arm still holding Trafalgar down. His other one remained clenched in a fist, not yet ready to strike. Kid'd gawked at him as if he had sprouted another head, eyes flitting to Law as if to confirm it. Eustass squared his shoulders, lips joined together as thin as a line. He faced Law and the other flinched involuntarily, but managed to look back.

"Did you really mean to get rid of me?"

It hurt like a bitch, the way he asked it. Like he was about to break even though he was as unshakeable as a mountain on the outside. Ill, but still strong. Killer had stomped out, enclosing them in Kid's apartment, but heard him slide down the outside of the door. A guardian dog.

"It's the easiest way" Law reasoned, words sticking to his tongue like the petals that had fallen to the floor.

"You really hate me that much, don't you?" Kid insisted. "I mean so little to you, is that it?"

"Kid." He choked on a flower and saw the other school the reflex to go and assist him. "You got it wrong."

"Make it clear for me then" he snarled.

Law walked to the living room and sat himself, chest heaving hard. "No interruptions." Kid was about to protest when Law raised his hand. "No interruptions." He repeated. "You got someone you like." He stated, like it was that simple. "And I'm not going to get in the way of that, I hope you change your mind about staying quiet. Despite what I might show, it would be a pity if you died of such a disease."

The gears on Kid's head turned painfully. "You gotta be kidding me."

Law glared at the obvious disregard of his command. "If it were for me I wouldn't get the surgery but I am not going to get what I need and I refuse to die. We can meet again and just start anew. I still think you ought to tell the other, just in case they like you back, and let me give you Chopper's number in case the surgery goes well so maybe, if the plan A doesn't work, plan B will." He might as well wear sterile gloves to cut through the issue, despite the obvious strain in his voice and the way his heart weighed heavy in his chest. He didn't look at Eustass, just focused on the low table not so long ago had been holding at least five different bottles of alcoholic drinks.

"You fucking moron just give me a proper confession."

The words made Law's spine straighten like struck by lightning. "What?"

"Just do it." Kid rubbed his face with his flesh hand in frustration, letting himself fall heavy over the cushions by Law's side. The lighter man shifted along as he stared.

Law blushed, or so Eustass thought if the darker tone around his cheeks was of any indication. An affronted expression took root in the surgeon's features, like the order had personally insulted him on a core level. Trafalgar started to cough once again, green and red dropping to his lap and covering it like a blanket. He hated that the prosthetic hand that was placed on his back increased the coughs but soothed them all the way. His eyes teared up under the pain and the effort and he was certain he looked pathetic.

"Eustass" Law heaved. "I love you, I'm fucking sorry-" Law wasn't one to apologize but he hated to the core that things had turned out this way. "But I love you." He braced his chest, the acute and searing pain nesting under his ribs like it had found a place to belong. He wouldn't ask Kid to act just like they did because his pride was bruised enough, the circumstances were different and he thought that sounded pathetic holding down into that little dynamic like he wouldn’t fall for him again, but deep down he wished for it. If Eustass survived, that is. Maybe they'd fall back into their usual banter with ease, as if they had never stopped despite the missing pieces.

"Fuck you Trafalgar." A touch of rubber and metal turned Law's head with firm precision and a thumb swiped over his spit stained mouth in a rushed movement right before his lips clashed with painted ones, all bite and hunger. Kid kissed like a starving man having his first meal in weeks, holding a willing Law into place by the back of his head like he would vanish into thin air if they didn't remain close.

They broke apart once air became a need and for the first time in weeks, Law managed to breathe full gulps of air without feeling like his lungs were going to burst and pour waves of petals out of his chest. He revelled in the feeling. His arms snaked around Eustass' shoulders and brought him close again, chest against chest as they kissed once again. Tan fingers scraped the redhead's scalp and Kid purred.

"I'm not letting you forget me you prick, you are stuck with me." He finished the sentence with another fast kiss, pulling on Law's lower lip. Kid was demanding and soon pushed Law down the sofa to get all his attention, looming over him and obscuring him with his wide shoulders. "Asshole you know for how long I've been dealing with this? It has been a bitch to endure and it was that easy to fix it." Cheek against cheek, he pronounced those words against Law's ear with the hiss of a snake, but teased his lobule with small bites all the same, pulling at his earrings.

"Don't speak like you are the only one that went through it. I was certain talking to me was just a pissing contest to you."

"I mean if that got me a chance to see your dick..." Kid mussed. He received a playful slap on the shoulder that didn't even phase him. "But now we don't need that, do we?" He purred, leaning to pepper Law's skin with hickies. He sunk his nose in the juncture of Law's neck. "God you don't know how much I missed that pretentious shitty perfume you like. I could only smell flowers at this point, keeping them inside was a bitch."

That was as good a confession as Law would get in a while, and he knew it well, so he rose his arms and pulled Kid down into a kiss as the redhead's hands snaked underneath his shirt like he owned everything they touched. Kid traced his body with greedy worship, like a child with a prized possession, shielding him from the world with his whole body.

A scrape against the door.

"If you guys have fixed it I am leaving." Killer’s muffled voice resonated on the outside.

"Tell your guardian dog off already."


End file.
